Coaching Timeframe Established

Roy Philpott

01/05/2005

Clemson head coach Tommy Bowden talks about a possible timeframe for ending the coaching search.

There have been reports of David Blackwell possibly going to other places. Are you concerned about that?Bowden: I think its a credit to the university. We've had several coaches that have tried to be hired. It's kind of like recruiting. If you are recruiting a guy that's visiting with some pretty good schools, that's a good indication you are going after the same type of guys. If you got guys on your staff that other guys are trying to talk to, then I think that's a good indication that you've got done a pretty good job selecting people.

Couldn't that cause a problem on the recruiting front, considering signing day is still a couple of weeks away?Bowden: It could. And it could not.

You've got a big recruiting weekend coming up on January 14. Do you think you'll have your new coaches in place by that time?Bowden: I think by that recruiting weekend, everybody will be here. Hopefully. We are doing really well right now, and we've done well without coordinators. If we've done this well without them, if we lose another coach, I don't seeing it affecting us too much. Not having three didn't affect us. I don't see where losing one more would affect us. By that time, we would have three more in place. That would be eight. Right now, we are doing pretty good with six.

Do you think the time you spent away from a potential bowl game preparations have helped you on the recruiting front?Bowden: No. A lot of commitments were done before the season. They're not firm until signing day but we feel really good about where we are, and I'm sure it will be down to the wire. We are very pleased with where we are so far.

Will you push back spring practice some this year because you are hiring new coaches?Bowden: I might. I might. I've surely considered it. Once we get everybody on board we'll address that. If I can't touch the spring game, we may practice after the spring game, which I've done before. That could give us more time to meet and get schemes in.

What was your advice to Justin Miller, and do you think he made the right decision?Bowden: Yeah. I felt very comfortable with the decision. The biggest thing with Justin and his mom was the way they went about it. And I think they explored every opportunity and talked to a lot of people. I wish him nothing but the best. I met with Justin and his mom, way back in August, and I've had several conversations with them. I know they've talked to both sides of the table as far as NFL people and college people. I think he'll do well. He's done some things here that will be hard to break from a records perspective. He gave us a chance to keep our recruiting priorities. He gave Clemson University the ability to go ahead and recruit (at cornerback) with the possibility of him coming out. So we were able to do some things from a recruiting stand point that really helped us. We are very appreciative of what he's done for us for three years, and we wish him nothing but the best.

Miller said today that he still feels like he's one of the best cover corners in the country. Do you agree with that assessment?Bowden: He had a sheet come back from the NFL. I pretty much agree with their evaluation. I talked to the head of the NFL committee yesterday and I agree with their evaluation. I think that sheet said two to five (rounds), it doesn't say two to five, but it means two to five, and with the potential of being a first rounder. When you are as high as a second (round pick) means you've got a chance to sneak up there into the first. He'll make an NFL roster.